A significant problem in the fishing arts is that the big ones sometimes get away by breaking a line. Yet it is highly desirable to use very light leaders so that the bait will behave naturally and not be unusually restricted in movement by heavy line, which results in fewer catches.
It has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,296,057, W. Ellsworth, to put a spring in the line to absorb impacts that would tend to break the line. However, this only prevents rupture for special circumstances of a heavy strike, or short reactions.
A heavy auxiliary line is used for retrieval of snagged hooks in U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,602, J. M. Clark et al. However, this is not for landing heavy fish on an underrated line strength.
Copending U.S. application Ser. No. 517,660--R. Burkeen, filed July 27, 1983, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,517, provides for substituting for a light leader a heavy substitute parallel strengthening member after a bite is received. The particular mechanism used for this, however, is generally limited to short leader lengths, which cannot take full advantage of the natural behavior of the bait. Furthermore, the required extra hardware in the vicinity of the bait could spook a fish or offset the advantages of natural bait action by acting as a sinker on the line.
Specialty fishing rigs are many times limited for use in one special type of fishing style, such as bottom fishing with a heavy sinker or float fishing. It is particularly inconsistent in accordance with the objectives of this invention to provide a natural hookbait action by use of a very light leader, while using a heavy sinker, for example. Sinkers used where currents are strong to hold the bait in a desired location, in most cases reduce catches because a nibble can go undetected, and thus the hooking of a lightly biting fish by action of the fisherman is inhibited.
Problems are encountered in casting a rig under various conditions. Thus, a sinker could be very helpful in attaining a long cast. However, that is inconsistent with the desire for natural bait action possible with a light sinkerless leader, and the desire to detect nibbles.
It is an objective of this invention to provide a fishing rig that may be used under a wide range of fishing conditions with a light leader for hooking fish and a mechanism for substituting a heavier line for landing the big ones.
A general objective of the invention is to overcome the foregoing problems and inconsistencies of the prior art.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be found throughout the following description, drawing and claims.